Action Alerts

Take Action to Help Ailing Elephants Now
Help spare Karen, Nicole, Bonnie, and Minyak from additional suffering by politely urging Secretary of Agriculture Thomas J. Vilsack to immediately seize these ailing elephants before it’s too late—foot disorders and arthritis are the leading causes of euthanasia in captive elephants.

Protect National Forests And Wildlife Habitat
In an outrageous move, the Obama administration has proposed setting aside vital protections for the forest homes of lynx and other imperiled wildlife in our national forests that have existed since Ronald Reagan was president.
These magnificent landscapes support diverse ecosystems and an incredible array of fish, wildlife and plants including lynx, antelope, bison, bighorn sheep, elk and cutthroat trout. In all, our national forests provide habitat for more than 5,000 species of fish and wildlife and more than 10,000 plant species.
Check out IDA’s Action Alert and send a message to President Obama

Submit Comments On BLM’s “New” Strategy For Wild Horses & Burros
On February 28, 2011, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its “Proposed Strategy for Future Management of Wild Horses and Burros.” Although the plan offers some encouraging language about new BLM photodirections, it continues the agency’s business-as-usual approach to wild horse management with the proposed removal of 32,800 mustangs from the range over the next five years, increasing the population in holding to nearly 52,000 horses.
Now is the time to build a strong public record in support of REAL change for this broken federal program. Let’s secure a safe future for America’s treasured wild horses and burros –
Contact the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Comments on Strategy via IDA’s Action Alert

Canada increases seal hunt quota
The Canadian government on Friday announced an increase in the number of seals to be killed in a controversial commercial hunt off its Atlantic coast. The quota was hiked 20 percent from last year’s 388,200 seals to a total of 468,200, including 400,000 harp seals and 60,000 grey seals. The hooded seals quota stayed at 8,200. Canada’s 6,000 sealers once made an average of 10 million dollars from the annual hunt, with a quarter of it from exports to Europe, according to the Canadian government.

Building Strong Bones The Vegan Way
Our earliest ancestors didn’t drink milk and didn’t need to worry about calcium at all. Milk didn’t appear in human diets until around 10,000 years ago, and even then it was common only in certain population groups. But anthropologists speculate that the diets of early humans were rich in calcium—with intakes higher than today’s RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for this nutrient—because they dined on calcium-rich greens.

Eating Vegan on the Cheap
It doesn’t seem right that meat should be so cheap and fresh vegetables, especially organic ones, relatively expensive. But once you look into it, the true cost of eating animal protein is higher than you can imagine. And being veganish in your approach to food is not only healthier by every measure, but it can actually be considerably cheaper as well. In fact, many staples of a vegan diet cost very little and can be found in any grocery store — not just in specialty markets. Whole grains like quinoa or barley or brown rice, legumes like chickpeas or soybeans, and other beans like black-eyed peas and black beans are very inexpensive.

More on Farm Animal ‘Protection’
If activists, radical vegans, or whatever you want to call them, break the law by sneaking onto private property to document animal or farm worker abuses, then yes, they should be held accountable for their actions – though unless I’m misinformed, that’s what trespass law is for. But these people shouldn’t have to sneak the cameras into the farms that are torturing animals or mistreating workers: the cameras should already be there.

Japan’s Disaster Puts Pets in Dire Need
Luna, a six-year-old Beagle mix, is tied to a tree, barking for attention or sleeping in a cardboard box on a dirty cushion, two bowls of frozen water before her. Still she is one of the lucky ones. She has food. Passers-by pet and comfort her. She gets walked twice a day. And her 55-year-old owner is alive — he just can’t take her into the shelter he’s staying at because of a no pets rule.

From Porpoise to Pets, Animal Rescue Efforts Intensify
Since the disaster, the Sendai resident has been visiting evacuation centers to feed animals that people brought with them. He has also rescued more than 80 orphaned animals, whose owners either died or had given up on them. But the finless black porpoise in the rice paddy was a first.

Question Thursday: Right, Wrong, and Real Results
In the first entry under “Ethics and Religion” in the FAQ’s to Vegan Outreach’s “Starter Guide” it says this:
“Why is it wrong to eat meat? It’s not a question of being ‘right’ or ‘wrong.’ If one wants fewer animals to suffer and die, then one can stop supporting such practices by not eating animal products.” Why wouldn’t Vegan Outreach state what one can only hope they think is obvious?? It IS wrong to eat other animals.

Stray Pet Problem Grows
Arkansas laws prohibiting the mistreatment of animals apparently do little to protect unwanted or abandoned animals from being euthanized at the hands of shelter operators and animal control officers. JoAnn Barton, director of the Sebastian County Humane Society, said that facility, which may at any time have 700 dogs and cats in its shelter, ends up euthanizing about 46 percent of the animals. “It’s below the national average, but we would like to get better,” Barton said.

Animal ‘Hoarding’ Often Tied to Mental Illness
A small army of animal welfare workers spent nearly 10 hours removing hundreds of sick and dying animals from a rural North Carolina property in one of the United States’ larger animal-hoarding cases…Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of cases of animal hoarding are believed to occur each year throughout the nation.

In light of the recent catastrophic events in Japan, it is a poignant reminder to all of us to prepare for disasters, no matter what form it takes. Here in the Pacific Northwest region, we are at risk for earthquake activity, owing to the many fault lines that run along the Pacific coastline, as well as effects of tsunamis. Many low-lying areas are also prone to flooding, and tornadoes, while rare in this region, are not out of the question.

After being lucky enough to survive an initial disaster, the infrastructure we depend on may not be functional; there may no longer be access to food or running water, electricity or shelter, so planning ahead for such contingencies increases your chance of surviving for a period of time in case rescue crews or relief supplies are not able to reach you for a few days. Especially after a substantially destructive event with widespread damage, help may not come for some time, so it is best to plan ahead; imagine taking a camping trip for a week and you’ll get some idea of what you’ll need. Speaking of camping, many of us in this region do so, so there is the added advantage of having those supplies and gear at our disposal. Failing that, you can compile such items now and it will serve the dual purpose of being available for that trip you’ve been wanting to take in the mountains.

It will take some time and money to compile these kits, but it is important to start now and add to it as time and money allows; every little bit you add will greatly improve your situation later should the unthinkable happen. We recommend compiling one go-kit for each member of your household, including special items for your companion animal(s), and stowing camping gear in your available vehicles. There are special items you can compile for the home, but be aware that after a flood, earthquake, or tornado, your residence may be compromised enough to be unsafe for habitation, if it is left standing at all.

Vegans will have to ensure that there is enough food stocked up and packed away. Relief supplies, once they come, may not be all vegan, so having enough food for at least 7 days is recommended. Energy bars are convenient, especially in the Go-Kits, but they are expensive. Better to stock up at home on canned soups, beans and vegetables, dried fruit, nuts, and avoid foods like rice, noodles, and instant mixes as they require heat and a lot of precious water to prepare. There are now available quite a few packaged vacuum-sealed meals (usually Indian or Thai curries) that are vegan.

Another consideration for vegans is the inclusion of first-aid kits. There are many pre-packaged first-aid kits on the market, but many of them have products either with animal ingredients or are manufactured by companies that conduct testing on animals. It is better to make your own, using items from safe manufacturers. A list of recommended items are below.

Discuss an evacuation plan with all members of your household and how to notify each other in case of separation. Note that phone and internet communication networks may either be inoperable or overloaded, but establish an out-of-town/state contact person that each person can check in with, or use the same social networking sites. Discuss alternate meet-up places. If you have children, make sure they know their basic personal information should they get separated, know alternate contacts and meeting sites, and role-play with them on what to do and where to go as well as how to get hold of 911 and other contacts.

Your companion animals need special attention and planning. Make sure any licenses are current, and each animal has an ID tag. Consider micro-chips. Keep an updated list of trusted neighbors who could assist your companion animals in case of an emergency. Make sure they are comfortable being inside carriers. Fasten down aquariums and other cages to their tables to prevent them from tipping over. If you evacuate, locate all your animals and keep them with you. Be aware that shelters will only allow service animals. In a large-scale disaster, animal shelters will be set up when possible.

If there is absolutely no way to take your companion animals with you, inform animal rescue workers of your pets’ status: On your front door or in a highly visible window, use chalk, paint or marker to write the number and types of pets in your residence. Include their location in your home and the date that you evacuated. Leave plenty of water in a large, open container that cannot be tipped over. Leave plenty of food in timed feeders to prevent your pet from overeating. Absolutely do *not* tie up your pet in your home. The first chance you can get communications, find out who among neighbors, friends, or rescue workers can get to your place.

The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is never as critical to follow as preparing for a disaster. It is worth it to start now, and even if you cannot afford to get everything at this point get what you can, and continue to build upon your kits, because every little bit will prove to be invaluable should the unexpected happen. And especially for those of us who have others who depend on us, like companion animals, and those who are living as vegans, it is important to place extra consideration to ensure that as many living beings survive as possible.

+ Carrier with blanket (Store with bag) + Sturdy leashes and muzzles for dogs. + Food, potable water and medicine/supplements for at least one week+ Non-spill bowls, manual can opener (if using canned food)+ Plastic bags for sanitation+ Recent photo of each pet+ Names and phone numbers of your emergency contact, emergency veterinary hospitals and animal shelters+ Copy of your pet’s vaccination history and any medical problems+ Favorite toy+ A pillowcase may be a good emergency transport for cats and other small animals

*A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT WATER:In a disaster, water supplies may be cut off or contaminated. Store enough water for everyone in your family to last for at least 3 days.Store one gallon of water per person, per day. Three gallons per person per day will give you enough to drink and for limited cooking and personal hygiene. Remember to plan for your companion animals.If you store tap water:Tap water from a municipal water system can be safely stored without additional treatment.Store water in food grade plastic containers, such as clean 2-liter soft drink bottles. Heavy duty, reusable plastic water containers are also available at sporting goods stores. Empty milk bottles are not recommended because their lids do not seal well and bottles may develop leaks. Label and store in a cool, dark place. Replace water at least once every six months.If you buy commercially bottled “spring” or “drinking” water:Keep water in its original container, and don’t re-store a bottle once it’s been opened. Store in a cool, dark place. If bottles are not marked with the manufacturer’s expiration date, label with the date and replace bottles at least once per year.Treating Water after Disaster:If you run out of stored drinking water, strain and treat water from your water heater or the toilet reservoir tank (except if you use toilet tank cleaners). Swimming pool or spa water should not be consumed but you can use it for flushing toilets or washing.Treatment Process:Strain any large particles of dirt by pouring the water through layers of paper towels or clean cloth. Next, purify the water one of two ways:Boil – bring to a rolling boil and maintain for 3-5 minutes. After the water cools, pour it back and forth between two clean containers to add back oxygen; this will improve its taste.Disinfect – If the water is clear, add 8 drops (1/8 teaspoon) of bleach per gallon of water. If it is cloudy, add 16 drops (1/4 teaspoon) per gallon. Make sure you are using regular bleach— 5.25% percent sodium hypochlorite— rather than the “ultra” or “color safe” bleaches. Shake or stir, then let stand 30 minutes. A slight chlorine taste and smell is normal.

A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT EARTHQUAKES:In an earthquake, since it happens suddenly and without warning, it is important to know what to do. It is a myth that the safest place is under a doorway; in modern structures, the doorway is no stronger than the rest of the building–in fact, you’re likely to get injured from doors swinging wildly, and if it’s a public building, people may shove past you to hurry through. Instead, drop, get under cover, and hold on. Many people make the mistake of standing, running, or trying to keep furniture from falling over—all major earthquake no-nos. When an earthquake strikes, don’t run or try to escape. Search for cover as close to you as possible; if you’re in bed, stay curled up and protect your head with a pillow. If you’re driving, pull over to the side when it’s safe, and stay off bridges and going underneath overpasses.

Tell the Department of State to Evacuate Companion Animals from Japan
Once again, the U.S. Department of State is refusing to allow U.S. nationals evacuating a disaster zone, this time in Japan, to take their animal companions to safety. The official policy of the Department of State is that it does not evacuate pets. Please contact Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and ask that the State Department allow Americans, without exception, to evacuate all their family members from Japan and from every future disaster area.

Please contact Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and ask that:

1. People evacuating Japan be allowed to take their companion animals, regardless of size, with them.
2. The State Department permanently change its official policy to allow pets to be evacuated, simultaneously with their families, from disaster areas.

Don’t Let Sea World Keep Its Dirty Secrets
Please send a letter to U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis asking her to intervene with an executive order to make the hearing, and Sea World’s way of doing business, open to the public.
INFORMATION / TALKING POINTS
When Sea World Orlando trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed last year by Tilicum, the 12,300-pound resident orca, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration conducted an investigation and cited Sea World for the willful act of knowingly placing its employees at risk. Sea World is contesting the OSHA findings and has requested a hearing in April — and is asking that the hearing be closed to the public so that records of the case can be sealed. It seems clear that Sea World wants to keep ugly truths from getting out and being used against it, regardless of the cost to orcas or their trainers.
Please call or send a letter to U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis asking her to intervene with an executive order to make the hearing, and Sea World’s way of doing business, open to the public:

Urge District Attorney to Prosecute North Carolina Lab Animal Abuse
You can be a voice for the animals who suffered at the hands of PLRS employees. Take a minute of your time today to politely urge local District Attorney Frank Parrish to bring charges against those responsible for making animals suffer at PLRS, without further delay.
INFORMATION / TALKING POINTS
It’s been nearly six months since the release of PETA’s shocking undercover investigation inside North Carolina–based Professional Laboratory and Research Services, Inc. (PLRS), which documented PLRS employees kicking, throwing, and dragging dogs; violently throwing and slamming cats into cages; intentionally trying to rip cats’ claws from their sensitive paws—making them bleed, roughly handling rabbits and lifting them by the ears; and viciously cursing at animals, calling them “asshole,” “bitch,” and “motherfucker.” But the district attorney, whom PETA first met with almost a year ago, has yet to file cruelty-to-animals charges against those responsible for the suffering, abuse and neglect of hundreds of animals.

Iowa House OKs ban on secretly filmed farm videos
The Iowa House approved a bill Thursday to prevent animal rights activists from getting hired on farms just so they can secretly record what they believe is the mistreatment of livestock….The Republican-led House approved the measure 65-27. It must pass the Democratic-controlled Senate and be signed by Republican Gov. Terry Branstad to become law.

Sen. Jim Norman scales back bill that inadvertently criminalized farm photography
One of the first bills Jim Norman proposed as a state senator targets animal-rights activists who sneak onto farms to capture footage of agricultural practices they consider cruel. The New York Times called it “croparazzi,” and news of the bill gained Internet buzz. But Monday, a heavily amended version of SB 1246 unanimously passed the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Some Animals Are More Equal Than Others
It’s time to take a look at the line between “pet” and “animal.” When the ASPCA sends an agent to the home of a Brooklyn family to arrest one of its members for allegedly killing a hamster, something is wrong. That “something” is this: we protect “companion animals” like hamsters while largely ignoring what amounts to the torture of chickens and cows and pigs.

Tsunami Killed Thousands Of Seabirds At Midway
Thousands of seabirds were killed when the tsunami generated by last week’s massive earthquake off Japan flooded Midway, a remote atoll northwest of the main Hawaiian islands, a federal wildlife official said Tuesday.

Polar bear Knut dies: Animal rights group Peta blames Berlin Zoo
An animal rights group has blamed Berlin Zoo for the death of its star polar bear Knut, who collapsed and died in front of a crowd of 660 visitors. Peta attacked what it said was “intensive” breeding of polar bears in zoos and claimed putting him in an enclosure with three females led to “enormous stress”.

Insects as Food? Trying to Change ‘Ick’ to ‘Yum’
Johan Van Dongen sells insects…The efforts of Mr. Van Dongen and Sligro, a chain of 25 membership-only warehouse stores throughout the Netherlands, are part of a drive to convince the Dutch that crickets, worms and caterpillars are healthier sources of protein, and are less taxing on the environment, than steaks and pork chops.

Older Elephant Matriarchs Keep the Lions at Bay
With age comes wisdom, an old adage goes. Now researchers report that there is truth to this among African elephants. Groups of elephants led by older matriarchs are more adept at locating and fending off predatory male lions. Matriarchs remain group leaders until they die, seemingly never losing their cognitive abilities, Dr. McComb said. Most live well into their 60s, and suffer no hearing loss, the key ability required to identify lion roars.

Animal-Rights Group Won’t Buy Vick Compound, For Now
The animal-rights group that was looking to transform NFL quarterback Michael Vick’s former dogfighting compound into a sanctuary for poorly treated pooches didn’t raise enough cash to buy the property. According to the Associated Press, the Pennsylvania-based Dogs Deserve Better by Sunday had only raised $130,000 of the $600,000 it needed to purchase the former headquarters of Vick’s Bad Newz Kennels, located in Virginia.

Eating Vegan: Why I Love Being Vegan
Every once in a while an anti-vegan article makes the rounds, bashing veganism as an unhealthy, unyielding, and unethical lifestyle choice. After running across one today, I felt like it was time to look at what’s great about being vegan.

What Does a Vegan World Actually Look Like?
Meat eating versus veganism is always going to be a controversial topic—as witnessed by the row that erupted after my post on why vegans are welcome to call me a murderer. Yet it’s an important subject. What we eat as individuals has a huge impact on the planet. So what happens when those individual choices are pushed on a larger scale?

Let the Woodland Park Zoo know how you feel about repeated insemination

Woodland Park Zoo (WPZ) artificially inseminated Chai for the 60th time. Inseminated 50 times prior to Hansa’s birth and 9 times since has only yielded miscarriages. Hansa, Chai’s daughter (conceived with a bull) died of the deadly herpes virus. Watoto, one of three elephants on display at WPZ, tested positive in 2008 for the same strain of herpes virus that killed Hansa. There is no cure and WPZ has no infection control in place—in fact Chai could tansmit the virus to her own fetus. The virus attacks the internal organs causing massive hemorrhaging and a painful, gruesome death.

To even take a chance of causing a defenseless calf such a horrific death is unconscionable and unethical.

Ag industry, lawmakers try to limit secret videos
Angered by repeated releases of secretly filmed videos claiming to show the mistreatment of farm animals, Iowa’s agriculture industry is pushing legislation that would make it illegal for animal rights activists to produce and distribute such images. Agriculture committees in the Iowa House and Senate have approved a bill that would prohibit such recordings and punish people who take agriculture jobs only to gain access to animals to record their treatment.

Another week, another attempt to shield factory farms from public scrutiny
In what appears to be a growing movement, industrial farmers have convinced Iowa state lawmakers to move an anti-whistle-blower bill through the state legislature. This bill, unlike the rather clumsy and probably unconstitutional Florida bill aimed at photographing farms, focuses on undercover attempts to film inside industrial livestock facilities.

New study shows sheep capable of complex thought
Sheep have a bad rap for conforming to the crowd. However, a new study by a Cambridge University neurobiologist has found that they are actually capable of “executive decision-making,” can recognize faces of people and other sheep–even from photographs, and have excellent memories.

The Creature Connection
We love animals, yet we euthanize five million abandoned cats and dogs each year. We lavish some $48 billion annually on our pets and another $2 billion on animal protection and conservation causes; but that index of affection pales like so much well-cooked pork against the $300 billion we spend on meat and hunting, and the tens of billions devoted to removing or eradicating animals we consider pests.

Smithfield releases its own videos of hog farms
Smithfield Foods Inc. announced Monday that it was releasing seven videos offering an inside look at the pork company’s hog farms. The release of the videos came less than three months after the Humane Society of the United States publicized an undercover video taken at a Murphy-Brown farm in Waverly. It showed workers prodding sows and tossing baby pigs. The video also reignited criticism of Smithfield’s use of 2-by-7-foot “gestation crates,” which house pregnant sows.

Calendar

January2019

NARN's board of directors meets monthly to discuss our campaigns and administrative issues. Guests are welcome to attend if we have enough time on our agenda.

If you wish to have an agenda item added to the NARN Board Meeting, please email info@narn.org at least a day in advance. You can also send us a message on Facebook anytime or even the day of the meeting and we'll get back to you. All NARN Board Meetings are held in Seattle.

Join local activists to help educate the public about the dangers of purchasing dogs from places like Puppyland. Puppyland is a new store in Puyallup that sells puppies from breeders.

The demo is until 3pm, but don't feel that you have to be there the entire time. Come for an hour or two to help hand out fliers or hold a sign.

This is a peaceful demonstration, inspired by our desire to speak out against the dangers of allowing businesses like Puppyland to exist in our communities. Join us in providing free, educational information to the public about the dangers of supporting backyard breeding practices and puppy mills, the importance of spaying and neutering pets, the time and money it takes to responsibly care for a living creature, and the positive effects of screening pet owners through application processes.

For updates see the Facebook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/2093159060741059/

Come join us for a delicious brunch at the fabulous Celest Cafe AND write some letters for animals.

NARN provides the stationery, pens, stamps, sample letters, and ideas for what to write -- just bring yourself. You can even bring your laptop if you'd prefer to type or email your letters!

Why letter writing? Letter writing is a simple way to make change for the animals! At our letter writing events, we write for many different reasons: opposition to the creation of new animal laboratories, support for sending animals to sanctuary, promotion of vegan events and issues through letters to the media, and raising the spirits of activists and comrades who have been jailed for their pro-animal and political actions!

Join local activists to help educate the public about the dangers of purchasing dogs from places like Puppyland. Puppyland is a new store in Puyallup that sells puppies from breeders.

The demo is until 6pm, but don't feel that you have to be there the entire time. Come for an hour or two to help hand out fliers or hold a sign.

This is a peaceful demonstration, inspired by their desire to speak out against the dangers of allowing businesses like Puppyland to exist in our communities. Join them in providing free, educational information to the public

For updates see the Facebook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/512061562622307/

The University of Washington's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) will be meeting to discuss various research protocols (study designs). This is your chance to voice your opinion about the research on animals that goes on at the UW. Please come and speak for the animals!
The meetings are held at the South Campus Center; Room #342 (in between San Juan Road & Columbia Road); behind the Magnuson Health Sciences Center (1925 N.E. Pacific St) )
http://www.washington.edu/maps/

Unfortunately, they frequently re-schedule or cancel their meetings in an attempt to avoid the public, so please call the Public Affairs Office at 206-543-9180 to make sure the meeting is still happening at the given time.
You can also check out their calendar here (copy & paste link into your browser)
http://oaw.washington.edu/iacuc-meeting-schedule/

This month we will be checking out Travelers Thali House. They have tons of vegan options. See their menu here:
http://www.travelersthalihouse.com/Menu102014.html
The Social Discussion Group is a casual event. Drinkers and non-drinkers are welcome, and you don't have to be vegetarian to participate. We hope you'll join us! Questions? Contact rachel[at]narn[dot]org

Join local activists to help educate the public about the dangers of purchasing dogs from places like Puppyland. Puppyland is a new store in Puyallup that sells puppies from breeders.

The demo is until 3pm, but don't feel that you have to be there the entire time. Come for an hour or two to help hand out fliers or hold a sign.

This is a peaceful demonstration, inspired by their desire to speak out against the dangers of allowing businesses like Puppyland to exist in our communities. Join them in providing free, educational information to the public

For updates see the Facebook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/406570843449273/

La Cocina School at El Centro de la Raza will be offering a tasty Vegan Tamales Cooking Class in partnership with the Food Empowerment Project! Now is your chance to learn how to make vegan tamales from a master tamalera! The tamales are prepared in the handmade and traditional fashion using cultural ingredients. Sweet sangrias, beer and wine will also be served and is included in the ticket price.

Class will begin promptly at 10:00 AM in the kitchen at El Centro de la Raza. Classes typically take 2.5 to 3 hours long. All cooking supplies and ingredients will be provided, but please bring your own apron.

The money for the La Cocina School at El Centro de la Raza Latin Cooking Classes go to fund El Centro de la Raza's Senior programs.

For updates on this event see
https://www.facebook.com/events/2404477662895760/